New BraunAbiltiy Owners Discuss Company’s Future

Winamac-based BraunAbility will remain a cornerstone of Pulaski County’s economy for the next several decades. That reassurance comes from the CEO of the investment firm that recently purchased the company. Swedish-based Investor AB’s Patricia Division is looking to expand its long-term investments in North America. Braun Corporation President Nick Gutwein says they aren’t looking to make a quick profit at the community’s expense.

“We weren’t looking, and then we found someone we felt like was a perfect fit, that if we said no now we may miss the best opportunity we have to have another 40 years, and that’s really the bottom line,” Gutwein told local officials and media members during a question and answer session at the company’s Winamac headquarters.

Patricia Industries CEO Börje Elkholm

Patricia Industries CEO Börje Elkholm says BraunAbility was attractive to them for a number of reasons, including strong growth, great products and a very strong market position in North America. Beyond that he says they were drawn to the company’s culture and focus on solving the needs of customers. He says BraunAbility’s strong commitment to providing mobility offers a competitive advantage.

Elkholm adds there will not be any noticeable changes in management. He says the owners believe in putting the right boards and management in place and letting them execute. Elkholm says Gutwein and his team will continue to execute local plans and run the day-to-day operations of the company.

He adds there are no plans to lay off local employees.

“Our investment philosophy has always been to invest in growth. It’s easier to recruit people into a company that has growth in it. You can have personal growth for employees within a company that’s growing. So the growth is a value by itself. So that’s why we want to own BraunAbility, so we can invest in growth here.”

Hear more from Elkholm and Gutwein on Sunday’s Kankakee Valley Viewpoints public affairs show. It airs at 11 a.m. EDT, noon CDT on K99.3 FM, WKVI.

WKVI News Director Mary Perren is glad to be back home in northern Indiana and on the radio. She’s a North Judson native with more than 20 years of news experience. She’s worked in print and radio news in Indianapolis, Hopkinsville, Ky., Nashville, Tenn. and most recently in Winamac before taking over as news director for Kankakee Valley Broadcasting in February of 2013. Her work has been honored by the Associated Press, StateNets News Association, Curb Foundation, Hoosier State Press Association and IBA. When she’s not sitting in the anchor chair or chasing down news, Mary enjoys shopping for antiques, attending concerts and taking long walks and rides in her vintage Saab convertible, weather permitting. She’s also a hopelessly devoted Chicago Cubs fanatic who still cringes at the mention of Steve Garvey and Josh Beckett and maintains it wasn’t Steve Bartman’s fault.